Surprise! Shocked you, didn't I? Yeah, I was equally as shocked when I decided to continue this story after SEVEN years! But, it's December, so why not return to the tale of everyone's new favorite Claus?
Funny enough, I felt compelled to after watching Violent Night on a January night - loved it btw - and suddenly decided, 'Hey…I should continue my Naruto Santa Claus story'!
Out of nowhere, but HEY! It is my gift to you guys while you wait for me to finally return from my self-imposed yearly hiatus, ya know? XD
Also, think of this as a 'Thank you' for the overwhelmingly positive reception this story got from you guys. Truly, thank you.
So here ya go! 'The Number One Most Unpredictable Santa Claus' Chapter 2!
Not only just this one chapter, I might even expand it more, maybe show some late nights present delivering. For both good boys and girls, and bad. XD
So let's get this show on the road!
Last time on N.O.M.U.S.C
Naruto killed Santa!
Invaded 3 women's dreams!
Delivered Presents!
Now
Chapter 2: Jolly Young Saint Naruto
Naruto covered a yawn, keeping a grasp on the reins, as the nine magical reindeer drove the magical sleigh of Santa Claus to Kami knows where. Soaring through the dawnbreak morning sky over the land by some unknown magical force. He had just left the area of the Land of Fire around an hour ago and had NO idea where the deer were taking him, forests and land passing under him in a blur. He tried to ask the surprisingly smart non-talking animals, but like yerks they ignored him.
And so, he had no choice but to accept his kinda kidnapping after a long night of strangeness. Strange even by shinobi standards. Yet strangely less strange than the type of stuff he's experienced in his genin career so far.
Yeah, nothing will top being eaten by a giant snake. Nothing.
Of course, he could always just jump off the sleigh and escape. However, with a glance over the edge, he quickly canceled that idea.
He may have survived a somewhat 25-ish+ foot drop in the Land of Snow when he tried to chase after Doto when he kidnapped Koyuki...
However, even he wasn't crazy enough to try his luck with a 100+-foot drop.
"Don't even think about it brat. You know as well as I do that you wouldn't survive that, even with your dumb luck."
Hearing the comment from Kyuubi - who awoke sometime earlier, commenting on how amusing his container's act of killing the Christmas figure was - Naruto grumbled, sitting back. Part of him was still reluctant to accept the earlier events that had led up to his current position. That part of Naruto still fully believed that this whole thing was nothing more than a dream. Something made from either drinking spoiled milk, or bad ramen - impossible and blasphemous as such a thing is - and sooner or later, he was wake up, back in bad. After all, the whole scenario was just crazy!
Him…accidentally killing Santa Claus…
Santa Claus. The Santa Claus? Father FREAKING Christmas?!
Startling him enough that the jolly old bearded man fell off his roof?!
It was too insane!
Right?
Santa Claus wasn't real…right?
But…the feeling of rushing cold wind felt real enough…
And…the feeling of the cushion on his behind…
And-
No! No...no! It can't be true. It just couldn't be!
…
But...the reindeer...and the chimney...the flying...and the clothes...and the-
Wide-eyed, Naruto turned completely white as the slow, cold truth began to wash over him; the realization of the consequences of the actions that transpired striking him like a Chidori through the chest.
…Oh shit.
Falling silent - something that rarely happens for someone as hyperactive as him - Naruto just sat there, mind reeling as the repercussions of his actions caught up to him. All awareness of the world around him faded as the sleigh flew through the sky. Only a single thought went through his head.
'I really fucked up, dattebayo.'
It was sometime later, while still flying, that Naruto miraculously fell asleep, the large red coat providing warmth from the cold altitude wind. His previous excitement from flying through the night sky had quickly died out as exhaustion struck him. He had the reins tightly tied to the bar of the sleigh to keep the deer steady. However, he was quickly awoken by the feeling of sudden chilling cold, one MUCH colder than what he felt before. With a feeling like needles stabbing into his face, Naruto jolted awake as he tightened the coat around him to keep himself warm. Aside from the Santa Claus attire, he had no warm clothing to protect him as he reached back and pulled the hood the coat had over his head. He blinked as he looked around, only for his eyes to widen when he saw where exactly he was.
No longer was he in the familiar massive forest of the Land of Fire, or any forest for that matter, nor some rocky or desert environment. Instead, he found himself in a familiar, but at the same time different, snow-covered region, with the snow blowing hard!
"What the hell?!"
Mentally going over the world map taught to him (read: jammed into his head) by Jiraiya, Iruka, and Sakura (both with patience and without), he would say he was either in the snowy regions of Land of Iron, in the parts of the Land of Snow the nearly activated heating system had not reached, or some other unknown snow land.
The question was: why did the reindeer take him there?!
But before he could comment/demand on it, he had to hold on tight as the sleigh was suddenly pulled downward. "Whoa! Hey!" Grabbing the reins, he tried to pull the reindeer upward to change course, but it was no use as they continued flying downward, pulling the sleigh with them as they shot straight down toward the icy ground below. "Crap baskets!"
Luckily, what seemed like a suicide dive was soon changed as at the last minute, the reindeer pulled up slightly, and leveled to the snow and icy ground, slowly lowering to the solid ice floor, before running/sliding over the ice & snow-covered ground, eventually coming to a stop with a short slide.
Sighing in relief, thanking Kami that he was still alive, Naruto glared at the deer, standing up from the sleigh. "What the hell are you guys doing, dattebayo?! Where did you take me?! Why are we here?! You're supposed to take me HOME!"
However, they didn't respond. Instead, with a shared glance, they nodded to one another, before suddenly pulling the reins from Naruto's grasp, and before he knew it, each ran out into the blizzard, going their separate ways, ignoring the blonde's cries to come back. "Hey, wait! I'm sorry for shouting at you, dattebayo! Come back!" However, it was no use, and before he knew it, the deer vanished into the dense blizzard around the area. Waterfall tears going down his cheeks at his predicament, Naruto moaned. "They left me to die!" 'Why do animals hate me?! First Kyuubi hates me, then Orochimaru's giant ass snake tried to eat me, and now reindeer!'
"Says a lot about how pathetic you are, doesn't it, brat?" Kyuubi snickered.
'Shut it, fox!' Naruto mentally shouted, before dropping down on the seat with a sigh of defeat. "I hate my life sometimes." He muttered as he pulled on the coat tighter to protect him from the cold, shivering as he was left all alone to suffer the abysmal hellish frosty storm.
'This…this it. I'm gonna die here, aren't I? Just my Kamidamned luck, dattebayo!'
"Hehe!"
Ear twitching, Naruto raised his head, blinking in confusion as he could have sworn he heard giggling. Looking around, he tried to see where it could have come from, though it was kinda difficult with the hard blizzard. 'Maybe it's someone who can help me get back to the Land of Fire!' With hope rising in his heart, he stood up in the sleigh, calling out. "Hello?! Is anyone there?!"
"Hehehe!"
Looking at where he thought the giggle came from, he squinted as he could swear he saw a figure in the storm. "Hello?! Who's there?!" Whoever it was, seemed to be approaching his way. Soon, it was visible enough that, squinting a bit, he could make out their appearance even if just barely, making him blink.
The figure was a young girl, looking about his age. From what little he could see - which as a shinobi, his eyesight was a lot sharper compared to civilians, but largely inferior to those with dojutsu like the Byakugan or Sharingan, so as such he was able to see detail, even with the blizzard - she had long light blue, almost icy blue, seemingly glittering even in the harsh blizzard with two bangs on either side of her head being braided. She wore an open light blue coat with white fur rims with the front collar held together with a blue ribbon, with the coat being big enough to go down to her knees, which were covered in white stockings. Her hands were covered with long white gloves, while her feet were covered with simple ankle-high boots. Yet, even with the blowing blizzard around her, she didn't seem bothered by the cold at all, standing in the snow, with nay a shiver or an arm rub, just a calm smile on her face. As Naruto stared at her, the girl's soft light blue eyes looked straight at him, smiling at him with a beautiful smile that made him blush a bit, and it was not from the cold. He could honestly say, he had never seen such a cute girl before - Kurenai, Anko, and Tsunade don't count as they were women, though maybe Hinata, admittedly Ino, and maybe Tenten could be candidates for his generation- the harsh wind blowing her hair only seemed to enhance her beauty, as in contrast to the harsh winds, it seemed to almost wave smoothly with the wind.
"Um…" Naruto tried to say, but couldn't form the words. His dazed state made the girl giggle, making his blush grow, before she knelt down to the ground, and seemed to press something out of his view.
Suddenly, the ground around the sleigh began to shake, making him yelp as he grabbed onto the sleigh's bar in order to keep his balance. Before he knew it, the ground around him began to crack, making him yelp in shock and fear, only instead of the ground under him just breaking open, it began to lower slowly in a calm and smooth motion, making him cry out in surprise. "Hey!" He tried to jump out of the possible trap, only to find himself suddenly being forcefully pulled down on the sleigh's seat, and unable to move. "What the hell?!" He tried to break free from whatever was holding him to the seat, but it was no use. He looked at the girl still standing in the snow. "What is this?! Who are you?!"
But the girl just smiled at him, even waving at him.
Before he could say anything, the 'hole' above him closed as a layer of ice immediately creeped over it, putting the area back to normal, showing absolutely no sign of disturbance.
All the while, the blue-haired girl continued to smile at the spot the sleigh was formerly at, before turning around and leaving, a skip in her step.
Naruto was ready for anything as the sleight, and therefore him, were lowered down the secret pathway under the ice. Greatly cautious and fearful of whatever awaits him at the end of this 'death ride'.
A group of enemy shinobi ready to surround and capture him?
A barrage of kunai launched at him, triggered by a trap?
Even the Akatsuki, aiming to tear Kyuubi from his seal and leave him for dead?
However, what he was not expecting, though, was what looked like a dome city under the ice! Seriously, it was HUGE! It looked to be the size of the whole of Konoha, maybe even larger! There were houses and buildings all around, blanketed in pure white snow. The ceiling was colored not just blue, but many moving colors, too many to recognize them all. It was so lifelike, he almost forgot it wasn't really the sky. And in the distance, he spotted what looked like mountains, covered in show and glittering under the aurora ceiling, and wondered if they, the whole place really, were even real, or some kind of genjutsu. After all, there was no way there could be an entire land underground...right?
As the sleigh was nearing the ground, lowered at a slow pace by some unseen/unknown force, Naruto spotted one last thing, and probably what he should have noticed first, with it being so eye-catching.
It was a large building, about the same size as the Hokage Tower, maybe larger. It was painted red, with white for the roof. Also, while he couldn't be sure, Naruto thinks he could see something that looked like a stable for horses in the distance.
'Wait a minute.' Naruto thought, blinking. 'Snow region...Sleigh...Reindeer...Santa Claus…' He paled, realizing where he was.
He would have preferred an enemy village to where he currently was.
He debated attempting to leap off and make a run for it, but unfortunately for him, before he could, the sleigh touched down on the ground, making him curse. Looking around at where he was, he saw that he had descended into an open-roof building. It was large on the inside, had a lot of space, and was filled with people.
Well, people might not be the right word.
There were large, hairy...beasts, standing or walking around the large area, along with what appeared to be young children, some looking to be his age, some appearing to be the same age as the Konohamaru Squad, and some looked to be even younger, running around the place with happy smiles. Meanwhile, the beasts would walk around, grunting as they moved, passing him idle glances before going through doors leading to somewhere.
As for the children, they all stopped moving, their eyes on him. Some muttered amongst themselves. Yet, all smiled at him. Smiling...joyfully.
And through all that, Naruto could only say…
"Wha?"
*Clap!**Clap!* "Okay everyone! Pay attention! Big Man has arrived! Well...maybe not big, but still! Stop what you're doing and gather around for introductions!"
Hearing the sound of clapping and talking, Naruto turned his head and saw a young girl heading his way. She had light brown hair and light green eyes, and like the silver-haired girl, wore a Santa-like outfit. Only hers were a bit more…*ahem* revealing. The skirt stopped above her knees, with the legs having black stockings, with some of her skin still being revealed in the spacing. The front of her coat was opened, revealing a black lace bra as well as the cleavage of her bountiful C-Cup breasts. Her arms had red, fur edge arm warmers, and red gloves. Clipped on her Santa hat, was a mistletoe with a small bell. One thing that stood out was her long, pointed-end ears. He couldn't help but stare at them a bit longer than he should, before pushing his focus back on her face.
And just like the blue-haired girl from above ground, Naruto had to admit that this one was really cute.
Seeing her approach the sleigh, Naruto quickly lost his stunness and began to panic, thinking she was expecting to see Santa, and tried to hide. Thankfully, he seemed to once more be able to move. However, before he could perform a substitution, the girl was beside the sleigh, looking at him, with a few beasts and the gathering children surrounding it on all sides.
Frozen, Naruto stared at the girl, who stared back in silence.
"Umm…" Naruto really wasn't sure what to say, and could only stand there, frozen as the girl's green eyes paralyzed him on the spot.
The brunette looked at Naruto, blinking, before a smirk crossed her face, as she placed her hands on her hips. "Well? Are you just going to stand there like an idiot forever, or are you going to get out of the sleigh and introduce yourself?"
Blinking, Naruto glanced at the large creatures staring at him in silence, some grunting to themselves while the children giggled softly. "Um…"
Catching up to what he was thinking, the girl waved him off. "Don't worry about them, they won't hurt you. Now, care to step out of the sleigh like a big boy, or do I need to help you?" She asked, smirking.
The remark snapped him out of his stupor, as glaring at her, Naruto did as told, and stepped out of the carriage. Nodding, the girl continued. "Now, introduce yourself please."
Nervousness once more rising, Naruto gulped. "Um, okay." Taking a calming breath, as well as preparing himself to make a quick escape if needed, Naruto spoke up. "The name's Naruto Uzumaki, proud shinobi of Konohagakure. And I'm, um…" There he stopped, not quite sure what he could say, or even if he should. Mean, should he really announce that he...he…
"The new Santa Claus." The girl finished for him. Naruto nodded, before his eyes widened, his head snapping towards her.
"What?!"
The girl nodded. "Yup! I mean, you did kill Santa (Naruto flinched nervously), accidentally of course, and you put on the suit. Didn't you read the card?"
….
"...Card?"
"The card you found in the coat. You still have it, right?" She asked. Too dazed to say anything, Naruto acted unconsciously, reaching into the coat pocket, took out the said card, handing it to the girl. "Thank you~" Snapping her fingers, one of the hairy creatures approached her, carrying a large magnifying glass. And he was talking large. It looked like something Kyuubi could use as a monocle. Thanking the hairy creature while it held it, she positioned the card behind the glass for Naruto to see. Flipping the card over, she showed the back, zooming in to what Naruto thought to be a decorative frame, only to see that it was actually just small text. "As you can see, it says so right here, clear as magnified day:"
"In putting on this suit and entering the sleigh, the wearer waives any and all rights to any previous identity, real or implied, and fully accepts the duties and responsibilities of Santa Claus, in perpetuity until such a time that the wearer becomes unable to do so, by either accident or design."
"..."
Naruto looked at the very well hidden statement he first thought to be a line frame around the title/address, with a lost look. All the while, the girl had an amused grin on her face.
"...Nani?"
"Basically, you killed Santa, and by putting on his clothes and riding his sleigh, became the new Santa Claus!" She declared with a cheerful tone and a large smile. Naruto looked at her blankly. Blinking once.
Twice.
Trice.
"...Nani?!"
"Hello, Santa Claus!" All the 'children' greeted in unison, nearly deafening the poor, stunned genin as he looked around with wide eyes.
"NANI?!"
"So this is the main manufactory line. It stretches out around the factory."
"H-Hey wait a minute!"
"Now, there are more sections to see, such as the reindeer kennels, not to mention the built-in spa workers use for relaxation-"
"Hey!"
"Oh! And we also have a cafeteria stocked 24/7 with snacks, sweets, and hot chocolate dispensers. They are quite delicious, if you like to get some."
"OKAY! STOP, DATTEBAYO!" Using chakra to stick to the ground, stopping the girl who has been dragging him around the factory, he snatched his hand from her grasp. "Just WHAT is going on around here?! What do you mean I'm Santa?! Where am I?! And who are you?!"
Looking at the hysterical, glaring blonde, the girl nodded in understanding. "You're confused, I understand. Sorry about that. I'll explain everything." Clearing her throat, she pointed at herself. "My name is Nicola. I'm Santa's personal assistant and head elf in charge of managing the worker elves and insure that all progress is smooth. I worked closely with the previous Santa, and now I'll assist you with anything that you need. We're in what was once known as the North Pole, now known as The Land of Frost as your people call it, considering the massive land shift throughout the centuries. Now, what I meant by you being the new Santa Claus, is just as I said. Because you're actions caused the untimely demise of Santa, followed by you putting on his coat, sat in his sleigh, and finished delivering the remaining presents - thank you for that, by the way -as stated within the certified Santa Clause, you are therefore the new Santa Claus."
Naruto stared at her, wide-eyed and slack-jawed. "B-But...But, I can't be Santa! I have a duty as a shinobi of Konoha! I can't be delivering presents all over the world!"
Nicola looked at him with a begging look. "You have to!" She said, clapping her hands in a prayer motion, getting into his personal space, taking him by surprise. "You're the only one we have! We can't do it, we're just elves. And the Yetis are just builders, they can't deliver the toys! Besides, the coat and title have already chosen you, and won't allow a refusal!"
Eyes widening, Naruto tried to take off the coat, only to find that her words rang through as he was unable to take it off. "O-Oi! Come off dammit!"
Nicola shook her head. "It's no use. That coat is made sentient with magic. Think of it as a fraction of Santa's essence. It knows you are trying to refuse to be Santa, and it's not letting you."
Naruto gritted his teeth as he continued to try and get the coat off to no use. Not even the hat will come off! "I-It can't do this!" He continued to struggle with the articles as Nicola watched with concealed amusement. Gritting his teeth as he pulled as hard as he could, the coat slipped out of his grasp, causing him to fall backward. Nicola covered a giggle as Naruto grumbled about 'annoying living clothing'.
"I'm sorry, Naruto, but the clothes are magic, and sense you trying to get out of the deal, not that you could."
Getting up, Naruto shook his head. "But I just can't be Santa! I don't even know how! Besides, I have a duty to Konoha as a shinobi!" He honestly didn't expect this night to happen as it did. While sure, he was glad to deliver presents, recalling the joy Moegi had in her eyes when she saw him, the last thing he expected, was to be Santa. How does such a thing even happen? By killing the old Santa, the killer is given such a role?! Talk about messed up!
Nicola frowned, nodding."I know, I've read your record. But...being a shinobi is dangerous!" Nicola exclaimed, a worried look in her eyes. "You were close to death so many times! Kringle, you nearly died twice! You may have gotten lucky so far, but one day your luck is going to run out, and we need a Santa! The world needs Santa."
He raised a brow at her. "How did you know about that?"
"Santa keeps track of every person on the planet, to know who's nice and who's naughty." Nicola stated proudly. She then lost her smile, frowning as she glanced to the side. "At least, he was supposed to."
Naruto blinked at her, raising a brow. "What was that?"
Nicola shook her head, waving her hand with a smile. "Nothing~! Nothing at all! But listen!" Narrowing her eyes, Nicola gained a serious expression. "I know it's all sudden and unexpected, but you are really the only option there is! It's a huge miracle that Christmas has even managed to survive and be known in this new world. If you reject being Santa, there will be no more Santa! And without Santa, there be no more Christmas!"
Naruto looked at her like she was crazy. "Isn't that a little overreacting? Just find someone else to be Santa! Besides, it's not like people and kids get presents JUST from Santa!" He exclaimed, knowing that even without a Santa, children would most likely get presents from their parents or loved one. To say that Santa was the only reason was just talking crazy!
However, Nicola shook her head. "No, that's not it! It's not just the presents! Christmas is celebrated BECAUSE of Santa! His presence and existence brings cheer and joy to the world! When people think of Santa, they are filled with happiness and anticipation. When they hear the sound of bells, their sorrow, sadness, any negativity they have is washed away, and replaced with happy and loving memories! Christmas is because of Santa, and Santa is because of the love and joy the world has for this special time of year! If that is removed…" Shaking her head, Nicola dreaded to imagine.
Naruto frowned, looking away. "I…" What could he say after all that? 'Still, me be Santa? ME?! It's crazy! Become Hokage is one thing…but Santa Claus?'
Seeing the hesitation on Naruto's face, Nicola looked sadly at him, sighing. "I know it's a lot to ask…but please, at least think it over. Christmas has ended, and we have a whole year 'till next Christmas Night. That should give you enough time to come to a decision, even with your shinobi duties."
Silent for a moment, Naruto thought.
'To be the new Santa…'
Part of him, the part that stubbornly rejected any and all obstacle in the way of his dream of becoming Konoha's future Hokage, wanted to outright shout and deny the offer. Being Hokage has been his dream since forever! He couldn't accept being Santa Claus if there was the slightest of chance of it getting in the way of his dream!
However…
The flashes of Anko, Kurenai, Tsunade, and Moegi popped into his head. The smiles they had when he gave them their gifts and made their Christmas better… The proud, happy, and warm feeling he got when he saw those smiles…
The old Santa was gone...because of him. If he hadn't startled the man, he wouldn't have fallen off his roof. 'But how was I supposed to know Santa Claus was real? I stopped believing in him a long time ago! It was one thing to believe in demons, and Biju, and ghosts, but Santa Claus? For all I knew, it could have been a drunk villager trying to break into my apartment again.'
Suddenly, he felt a hand on his shoulder. Looking up from his downward gaze, he saw Nicola smiling comfortably at him. "Like I said, you have a year to think about it." She said, to which after a moment, Naruto nodded. A year sounded like enough time. "Now, you must be tired after the night you had. I'll have a room prepared for you, along with some light snacks. You can rest the night here, and before you know it, you'll be back in your village when you wake up! In the meantime, you're free to explore the Toy Factory." She said, gesturing around the area. Glancing around, Naruto nodded slowly. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't curious about the place.
After all, this was Santa's Workshop!
Any kid worth their imagination dreamed of visiting this place! The little, lonely kid in his heart was in immense awe at the place, begging his body to explore every inch of the place.
He was knocked out of his thoughts as Nicola spoke. "I'll have someone accompany you to show you to your room when ready. If you have any questions, don't be afraid to ask them."
The whisked blond nodded. "Alright." He said, covering a yawn that tried to escape his mouth. Huh, he was surprised at how tired he was. That rarely happens, with how much energy he usually had. Who knew discovering Santa Claus, panicking over accidentally killing him, finding Santa's reindeer and sleigh, before delivering presents throughout Konoha, then flying to some snow-covered land could be so exhausting!
Nodding back with a smile, Nicola turned to head to wherever else she was needed. However, just as she took a step, she paused in place.
Tilting his head in confusion, Naruto watched as the head elf turned her head back towards him with a questionable expression. He was about to ask her what was wrong, only to freeze, his eyes widening. He stood there, not moving, his mind glitching with questions upon questions.
The reason?
It would be because Nicola, a girl he just met not even half an hour ago, was embracing him; her arms wrapped around him in a hold, not too tightly, but enough that he could still feel the pressure of the gentle, almost… comforting hug. Confused eyes blinked, rolling to gaze at the young woman who currently had her head beside his own, her chin resting at the crook of his neck and shoulder.
Raising a brow, he was about to ask her why was was hugging him, only to be cut off as Nicola spoke.
"It was an accident." She muttered, her voice soft as she spoke gently into his ear. "Trust me when I say that no one here blames you. We all knew one day Santa was going to get caught sooner or later. And as sad as it is to say, this isn't the first time this has happened. It was always a matter of when, not how or why. In a world of shinobi, the chances of Santa being able to move around undetected has gotten much harder then before. We expected this. Sure, we'll all miss Santa, but we can't cry and mourn. We need to think about the children and families of the world."
Naruto was quiet, feeling a sort of weight pressing down on his shoulders. Not for the fact that Santa was dead because of him, but more that they want him to replace Santa.
A decision we just couldn't make at that moment. Would that make him a bad person? To not want to be Santa? It would disappoint a lot of people should Christmas come to an end…and it would be all his fault…
…
'...To be Hokage…it means to see the whole village as your family. To be Hokage, it means to care for the wellbeing and happiness of every men, women, and child. In a way…being Santa is like being being Hokage for the whole world. Being Santa, means to care for the happiness of everyone. It…sounds like a tough job…but if I want to become Hokage, I need to at least get some experience for it, dattebayo! If I can keep the whole world happy as Santa Claus…I can my village happy as Hokage!' Naruto thought, a fire in his eyes as he made his decision.
It was because of him that Santa fall off his roof! It was his fault, and it was time he took responsibility!
He will be the new Santa, and will be the best there ever was!
It was a promise of a lifetime!
"I'll do it."
Blinking, Nicola leaned back and out of the embrace, looking at Naruto in confusion. "What?"
"I'll do it. I'll be Santa." He stated, looking completely serious.
Nicola blinked once.
Nicola blinked twice.
Nicola blinked trice.
",,,Really?"
Naruto nodded.
"...Really?!"
Nod
"...REALLY?!"
Starting to get annoyed, Naruto sighed. "Yes, alright. It's my fault anyway. So I need to fix it, dattebayo. So I'll be your Santa."
"EEEEIII!"
Flinching from the loud shriek of happiness, Naruto yelped as the light brunette practically leaped at him, nearly knocking him down as she pulled him into another, tighter embrace. His cheeks began to burn as he looked around in embarrassment at the contact. His embarrassment only grew when he saw the children elves and yetis around look their way, the younger-looking 'kids' looking at them in confusion and curiosity, while the older ones looked at them in amusement, some chuckling.
With a reddening face, Naruto would only awkwardly pat Nicola's back as she continued to hug him tightly. Thankfully, after a minute, the Head Elf released him, stepping back as she gave the genin a wide smile, making him clear his throat as he looked away from the admittedly cute smile.
"Thank you so much, Naruto-kun! I promise you'll have a great time being Santa! I need to go get things for your Santa learning ready! Campanella will be here soon to show you around and take you to your room to rest - which I also need to get ready! I'll see you again soon! Bye!" With that rushed statement, Nicola spun around and quickly walked off at a fast pace, a large smile on her face, leaving the genin alone, who wondered if he was making the right choice in accepting the Santa role.
With a heavy sigh, Naruto shook his head. No backing out now…
Turning around, Naruto leaned against the railing he stood in front of, taking a look around. He was in Santa's Workshop, something not every genin could say. Might as well take the opportunity to take in the sights. To his awe, now that he observed the location he was dragged to, he saw he was in some kind of assembling room at a lower level. In the center of the room was a long conveyor belt that stretched and curved all around the floor, with Yetis standing at various spots around it. As the belt rolled, logs would appear from an entry. The Yeti would grab a log as they moved in front of them, and to Naruto's surprise, would gracefully start cutting, hacking, and shaving the wood with tools. In a show of incredible skill and talent Naruto has never seen anyone pull before - not even shinobi - the large hairy beasts would shave and cut and carve the pieces of wood into wooden toys. All in a minute or less!
He recognized some of the toys being made. From simple toys like Taketombos (Bamboo-copter) to Beigoma (Japanese Spinning Tops), Hanetsuki (Japanese Badminton), Daruma Otoshi, and Kendama amongst other types.
His eyes watched as the Yeti, once finished sculpting the toys, placed them back on the belt. He followed the wooden toys down the belt where they reached a separate group of Yeti with cans of paint set near them. As the wooden toys reached them, the Yetis would carefully pick them up individually, and start painting them, careful not to mess up.
As he watched the Yeti work, he glanced at where elves played with finished toys, giggling and laughing with such joy that it made him smile. He leaned against the railing behind him, content with watching the elves play with the toys and having fun.
"Santa?"
While he was more or less coming in accepting his newfound title - at least until he had gotten enough rest and the full panic came in - Naruto couldn't help but flinch at the voice no doubt calling him. Turning his head, he spotted a female elf at his side. Like Nicola, this one looked around his age, unlike the children-like elves that resembled 6 to 12-year-olds, along with the occasional toddler he spotted by chance.
She had long pale blonde hair reaching her lower back along with two braids going down the sides of her face to rest on her upper chest, which, to his embarrassment, was quite large for her age. 'She could almost put Anko-chan to shame.' He thought, trying not to stare at her low-to-mid D-Cup breasts, a generous amount of cleavage in plain view from her low-hanging warm fur coat, a neatly tied bow holding the front close, holding her breasts back. She also had bows on the sides of her head in her hair, and what looked like a mistletoe around her neck in a collar. Why? Naruto hadn't had the faintest of ideas, and he'd rather not think about the implications of it being placed directly above her cleavage…ahem! Moving on with the description, he could see her long ears peeking out from her curtain of hair, twitching slightly, almost happily. Looking at her face, he saw her smiling widely at him, her honey-brown eyes staring at him with a variety of positive emotions, the biggest being awe, happiness, and gratitude.
He only needed a second to guess her identity. "Let me guess. Campanella?"
Her smile somehow grew wider, and the girl nodded. "Yup! That's me! It's so great to meet you, New Santa!"
Naruto rubbed the back of his head. "Um, just call me Naruto, okay?" He'd prefer to be called by his name instead of his new title.
Campanella nodded, the smile still on her face. "Of course, sir! Would you like me to finish your tour? Or would you like me to take you to your room? It should be ready by now."
He rubbed the back of his head, feeling kinda embarrassed about being offered to be escorted to a granted bedroom, not used to getting such treatment. "Um, yeah. I think I just want to sleep and put this night behind me, dattebayo."
Giggling, Campanella nodded in understanding, bowing gently. "Of course sir! If you are feeling hungry, I can call for a plate of cookies and warm milk to be delivered to you."
He grimaced. He had eaten enough cookies and drank enough milk while delivering the last presents in Konoha to last him a good while. "No thanks, I'm good."
"Very well, please follow me."
Doing as told, Naruto followed the female blond as they walked out of the workroom, moving through the many running and laughing child elves and passing working Yeti. Naruto idly wondered why the creatures were crafting toys when Christmas Night was over, but in the end, he was too tired to think too much about it. He followed the teen-like elf down a hall, passing a door with the sign "Ball Room" above it, the shadows of various balls bouncing all around inside. They walked in silence for a few minutes, Naruto at times glancing around, observing the place and various doors as he followed behind the still-smiling Campanella.
They soon approached a large double-set door, the letters SC in stylized design on the red glass. Opening the door, Campanella stepped to the side, gesturing to Naruto inside. Hesitating for a second, Naruto entered the room, the blonde following behind, before she walked to a part of the room, leaving Naruto to look around.
The room was quite large. Easily double the size of his whole apartment. The walls were colored a gentle crimson red, with long golden designs placed along the top and bottom edges all around the room. The room has a balcony to the side with the doors open, showing a majestic view of the city and the fake sky outside. There was a large bed against the wall, large enough to hold two, maybe three people with some room left over. Red sheets and covers. Finally, there were various toys of different sizes and types scattered around around the room. From bouncy balls to stuffed animals small and big and even adult size or larger as he looked at the actual bear-sized teddy bear in the corner, to what looked like a medium-sized puppet theater placed against the wall in front of the bed...with two puppets conversing with one another and occasionally bumping the other with their foam clubs.
He looked at the puppets weirdly, raising a brow at them. Said puppets soon took notice of him and greeted him with waves and 'hello's. Dumbfounded, Naruto could only give them a small wave.
Yeah...he was ready to sleep and forget this whole night.
Luckily, Campanella soon returned, holding a set of what looked like red silk woven pajamas. "Here you go~." She said, passing him the clothing. "I tried to find a set in your size. I hope these will do."
"Thanks" Naruto muttered as he held the pajamas.
Smiling at him, she gestured to a thick rope tied to a bell placed against the wall beside the bed. "If you require anything, just ring the bell and someone will quickly come to assist you. Do not hesitate as we will all gladly aid you in whatever you need." She said, getting a nod.
"Thanks. I think I'm good, dattebayo."
Nodding, Campanella smiled at the whiskered blond. "Again, on behalf of everyone here in Santa's Workshop, thank you for agreeing to take Santa's place, Naruto-kun! I hope you have a pleasant night! And please, don't be afraid to come visit again! Have a pleasant Christmas and enjoy your year!"
Naruto nodded mutely, watching as Campanella exited the room, closing the door behind her. Left alone in Santa's old room, Naruto let out a heavy sigh. "Part of me hopes this has all been one big dream." He muttered as he took off Santa's coat, tossing it onto a nearby fancy-looking chair. Taking off the straps of the overalls, Naruto let it fall, revealing his boxers.
"AAAAAAHHHHHH!" The puppets screamed in surprise and embarrassment, scaring Naruto. Spinning around to face them, he saw the puppets turn away from him, covering their eyes. Cheeks burning red in embarrassment, Naruto quickly pulled the pants back up.
"Oh come on, dattebayo!"
This place was weird!
Christmas Morning - Naruto's Apartment
The light of the morning sun passed harmlessly through the faint curtains of the room, rays beaming through the stitched fabric, illuminating the small bedroom as the rays struck a thick lump on the bed. With silent intent, the rays tried to pierce through the sheet protecting the individual under it.
Such was their purpose. To abruptly awaken all individuals the sun shines down on. Demanding they prepare their days full of activity and not laze about for hours on end.
Yes. Such was the sun's purpose.
Unfortunately for the sun and its rays, the beam was unable to properly penetrate through the sheet, and therefore, unable to awaken the slumbering form of one Uzumaki Naruto.
After all, why would Naruto wake up so early in the morning? When the sun was just rising? Especially on a Christmas day?
He had no missions today, as Tsunade has given genin teams, chunin, and jonin senseis the day off to enjoy themselves.
He had also trained himself to the point of complete exhaustion the day before, and at Shizune's command, he was to take a break from training to rest his body.
So, with his day free, he was allowed to take a page from Shika's book and sleep in all morning.
So there he was, curled up nice and comfy under the warmness of his bedsheet to ward off the winter cold, nearly suffocating himself as he pressed his face deep into his pillow, mumbling under his breath about crazy dreams of reindeer, children-like elves, and him being Santa Claus.
Yup. Naruto was content with just staying home all day. Ignoring all strange dreams, as well as thoughts of training and missions; just him, his bed, and his warm, protective sheet.
At least, that was his intent.
Unfortunately…
*BANG! BANG! BANG!*
Naruto groaned in his sleep as the sound of something or someone striking against his door echoed throughout his apartment. He tried to block it out, not wanting to leave the Land of Dreams. However, the pounding continued.
"Oi! Naruto! Wake up, dude!"
Kiba
What did Dog-Breath want? It was too early for his crap.
"Come on. Dobe! Get your ass up! We're supposed to all get together, remember!"
Oh yeah...he was supposed to meet up with his friends to exchange presents, wasn't he?
"Kiba...stop being so loud."
*munch* *munch* "Maybe he stayed up training?"
*scoff* "Wouldn't doubt it."
Shikamaru and Chouji too? Damn, now he really had to get up.
Troublesome~, dattebayo.
With a heavy sigh, Naruto sat up, the sheet draped over his body before he pulled it off. Eyes still closed, he stretched his mouth wide open in a yawn. Smacking his lips, he rubbed the muck from his eyes as he stood up from his bed. With his eyes still closed, he slowly made his way out of his room into his small living room. He passed by empty cups of ramen and a few kunai and shuriken littered on his floor as he moved towards the door, where he could still hear pounding. Damnit, Kiba. Knock it off already!
"Dobe! Open the freaking door before I tear it do-"
Grabbing the handle, Naruto yanked it open. His eyes opened halfway to glare at the stupefied Inuzuka. "Kiba, shut the hell up already, dattebayo! You're lucky I don't have neighbors!"
Kiba was silent, staring wide-eyed at the blond.
Off to the side, Shikamaru and Chouji looked on silently, the Akimichi pausing in his eating - holding a submarine sandwich as long as his arm with a wide variety of meat.
Shikamaru blinked before sighing, rubbing the back of his head. "What a drag~" He moaned.
Blinking, Kiba began to laugh loudly, pointing a finger at Naruto, much to his annoyance. "Haha! Dude, what the hell are you wearing?!"
Naruto's eye twitched at Kiba no doubt making fun of his nightcap. The bastard! It was a birthday gift from the Old Man! "Shut the hell up, Kiba! This was a gift!"
Kiba snorted. "That's quite the gift. Does it come with a dress?" He asked, laughing as Naruto growled.
"Knock it off, Kiba." The chunin of the group ordered, looking on with a bored expression as usual. As Kiba crossed his arms with a huff, Shikamaru turned to Naruto. "Did you forget we are supposed to meet up with the others at Ichiraku? This was your idea."
Naruto let out an annoyed huff, crossing his arms. "No, I didn't forget! I just had a busy night, is all!"
Kiba scoffed. "'Busy', right. Probably eating ramen as usual."
"Don't you diss the Food of the Gods, dattebayo!"
Groaning, Shikamaru rubbed his forehead in annoyance. "Enough! Naruto, get dressed and meet us at Ichiraku, alright!"
Naruto waved him off. "Yeah, yeah! I know. Just give me a few minutes to get ready. I'll meet ya there."
Nodding, Shikamaru turned and walked to leave the building with Chouji and a chuckling Kiba behind him. Turning, Naruto walked back into his apartment, closing the door behind him. He huffed, muttering swears about Kiba for making fun of his sleeping clothes. So what if he wore a cartoonish cap to sleep?! It was only one of the first gifts he ever got, so that made it one of the most awesome things ever! Shaking his head, he pushed it out of his head and focused on getting ready to head out, making sure to remember to take the presents he got his friends with him.
He headed to his bathroom to brush his teeth. Turning the light on, he turned the water on as he grabbed his toothbrush and toothpaste. Applying the paste, he stuck the brush into his mouth. As he brushed his teeth, he raised his gaze to the mirror.
He immediately froze, staring wide-eyed at his reflection.
Everything looked the same in terms of his appearance. His hair was still golden and spiky. His eyes were still blue. His whisker marks were still whiskers. Yeah, everything looked alright.
Except for one little fact…
His breath got caught in his throat, toothbrush hanging in his mouth, as he stared at the deep red, silk-woven pajama shirt and pants. A pocket stitched over his left breast, with a stylish SC on it.
His mind flashed back to his 'dream' and its sequence of events,
Santa Claus...
Santa falling over the edge of his roof…
Nine Reindeer and a sleigh...
Moegi and presents…
A snowy region…
Younger children and big hairy beasts…
A long-eared brunette…
A long-eared blonde…
His agreement to be Santa Cla-
Outside the apartment building, the awakening civilians and patrolling shinobi all jumped as a loud scream echoed through the air.
"IT WAS ALL REAL, DATTEBAYO?!"
Character Debuts:
Nicola - Valkyrie Crusade Nicola (HSR)
Campanella - Valkyrie Crusade Campanella (HLR)
End
This looks like a good place to cut this off. Wouldn't want to overwhelm you all.
Besides, tomorrow's Christmas Eve, and I've got a party to attend.
I hope you've all enjoyed the surprising return of 'The Number One Most Unpredictable Santa Claus'.
More chapters will come sometime in the future.
Hopefully, not TOO in the future…
This is Juubi no Shinju, wishing you all a MERRY CHRISTMAS and a Happy New Years!
Cross your fingers for more surprises from me in 2024!
Hopefully, I'll actually manage to start updating more.
Ja ne!